CONTRIBUTORS ENCORE
Marie Lee
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been no shortage of examples of good people helping out other good people, but the efforts of Feed the Fight Kalamazoo, featured in this issue’s Back Story on page 38, appealed to Marie. “I found it compelling because Colleagues International, a local nonprofit whose work had been stopped dead in its tracks by the COVID-19 pandemic, found a new way to work within the community,” she says. “At the same time, the organizers behind FTFK are a disparate group — CI’s executive director, a history professor and a video-game designer — but have a strong love for the community and compassion in common.” Marie is the editor of Encore.
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Here For You At First National Bank of Michigan, we’re grateful for our customers, employees and the place we call home. During this challenging time, we’re here for you and your neighbors, whether it’s serving your banking needs, lending support to the community or donating to local food banks.
fnbmichigan.com Downtown Kalamazoo | Kalamazoo West | Portage | Grand Rapids | Holland | Lansing 8 | ENCORE JUNE 2020
John Liberty
If there’s one thing John knows as the general manager and cofounder of West Michigan Beer Tours, it’s the area’s craft brewing industry. He has closely followed the industry for more than 12 years as a journalist and beer tourism professional, so he has the inside scoop on fun backstories and features of the area’s breweries and pubs, which he shares with readers in his “How to Drink Like a Local” feature on page 22. Like many people, he is eagerly awaiting the reopening of the area’s bars and restaurants. You can read more about how local breweries are coping in the COVID-19 world on John’s blog at westmichiganbeertours.com.
Julie Smith
Julie was the perfect fit to write this issue’s “Fun Under $50” feature, since she is always looking for fun new activities for her own family. “The ‘Fun Under $50’ article is really just a starting point,” she says. “There are so many great opportunities for families in the area.” Julie began writing for newspapers after college and then moved on to the nonprofit and local government sectors. She is thrilled to return to writing now, as a freelancer. “I’m so happy to be in a place where I can get back to doing what I really love to do,” she says. Julie lives in Plainwell.
